Food Safety Manager

**Position Summary**:
The Food Safety Manager is responsible for providing proactive leadership, oversight, and instruction in the area of Warehouse Food Safety. The Food Safety Manager oversees the implementation of the requirements, policies, procedures, support, programs and training components of the Warehouse Food Safety programs.

**Job Duties/Essential Functions**:

- Reviews and participates in updates of food safety documents, training materials, internal food safety policies and intranet site, ensuring that all are current and in compliance with Australian / New Zealand law.
- Assists with and ensures Auditor/Trainers are providing level 2 food safety training to all AU/NZ warehouse and Depot salaried employees, Demo Managers, Regional Operations Managers, Senior Operations Managers, Foods GMMs and AGMMs, Buyers and Assistant Buyers as per the legal requirement.
- Ensures all warehouses are audited no less than twice per year to ensure compliance with Costco Wholesale pest control, sanitation and food safety procedures and policies.
- Travels to warehouses to perform announced and unannounced Food Safety Walks
- Assess department training needs, develop training, and provide training per the local/state/federal requirements or as requested by location management
- Ongoing HACCP development and review of the food safety program based on new product Identifying any potential food safety hazards and implementing control measures in place to prevent them
- Develops, counsels, trains and directs area Observes employee performance and reviews paperwork to ensure that department procedures are followed, and standards are met. Drafts and participates in employee performance evaluations and Auditor leveling exercises
- On a weekly basis liaise with audit agencies and coordinating third party audits for VIC and NZ
- Provide feedback and keep up to date on the different ethical and social audit program (SMETA/SEDEX, Fair Farms, Costco Code of Conduct, etc ) for suppliers of fresh departments
- Administer the ethical and social audit program (SMETA/SEDEX, and Costco Code of Conduct) for suppliers of fresh departments
- Provide feedback to location management of how employees are completing their food safety duties
- Liaise with regulators in the event of food recalls, food poisoning outbreaks, food complaints, national surveys etc
- Deal with member incident responses and management
- Promote accountability amongst employees to ensure that a positive food safety culture is grown and maintained
- Verify compliance as listed on checklist and Costco U training related to food safety topics
- Communicate regularly with various departments, the region and inspectors to resolve issues and gather feedback
- Provide advice to compliance, buying team and vendors in relation to the microbiological quality of the product, shelf life and processes and all other relevant food safety matters ad hoc and weekly basis
- Develop the swabbing and sampling program, analyse the data and disseminate the findings to the business for continuous improvement
- Stay up to date on current policies, regulations and industry trends
- Attends and give presentations at monthly budget meetings, to Warehouse Manager meetings and/or other related regional or local meetings.
- Assess department training, staffing and scheduling needs to maintain operation of the business
- Being the professional and objective point of contact for all food handlers in the business and being able to provide immediate advice on all matters relating to food safety
- Provide support to Warehouse Food Safety issues 24/7. May be required to work evenings and weekends based on the needs of the business
- Maybe required to travel 1-2 times per year to attend national training seminars, food safety meetings and department meetings at the corporate offices or other locations. Ability to operate vehicles, equipment or machinery

**_ Ability to operate vehicles, equipment or machinery_**
- Computer, phone, printer, copier, uploading labels on scales, operate ATP Hygiena machine, uploading SOPs to intranet and updating forms, product information form including nutrition panels to intranet.

**Education/Training**:

- Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Animal Science, Biological Science or equivalent

**Licenses/Certifications**:

- Costco Food Safety Level 2 or HACCP Certification is required. Driver’s License
- Full Familiarity with AU/NZ Good Standards Code, Food Act, ACCC and Trade Measure Act

***Experience/Skills**:

- Minimum 5 years of experience in Food Safety, Animal Welfare, Auditing, Quality Assurance,
- Food Production/Operations, Supply Chain or related discipline is preferred
- Technical Writing skills.
- Intermediate skill level in MS and Google. Database Experience
- Knowledge of product traceability
- Understanding of food safety regulations, laws, and best practises, including those from SFC,CFIA, FDA, USDA and other provincial/regional/municipal entiti